Leon Taylor facts for kids
Leon Taylor talks to a group about mental wellness
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| Full name | Leon Taylor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 2 November 1977 Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England |
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| Height | 178 centimetres (5 ft 10 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Country | Great Britain | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 10 m platform, 10 m synchro |
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| Partner | Peter Waterfield | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Retired | 29 May 2008 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Leon Taylor (born November 2, 1977) is a famous British diver who used to compete professionally. He won many medals in big international diving competitions, including a silver medal at the Athens Olympics. After he stopped competing, Leon started working on different projects. He now talks about mental wellness, helps the SportsAid charity, teaches yoga, and works as a commentator for the BBC.
Contents
Early Life and Training
Leon Taylor was born in Cheltenham, England. He went to school there at Bournside School. As a child, Leon had a lot of energy. His parents were told to help him use this energy in sports.
He started swimming and gymnastics when he was only two years old. When he was eight, he began competitive diving. By the time he was 11, he was already a national champion! He trained in Cheltenham until 1996.
Leon's Diving Career
Leon Taylor represented Great Britain in diving for 16 years. He competed in three Summer Olympic Games. He won medals at all the major international championships.
Olympic Success
At the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Leon won a Silver medal. He competed in the men's synchronized 10-meter platform event with his partner, Peter Waterfield. This was a very special moment because it was Britain's first Olympic diving medal since 1960. In the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, he had finished fourth in the same event.
Other Major Achievements
Leon also won a silver medal in the men's 10-meter platform at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. He had previously won a bronze medal in the same event at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. He also earned bronze medals in the 10-meter synchronized diving at the 1999 European Aquatics Championships and the 2000 European Aquatics Championships.
At a national level, Leon was the champion in both the 10-meter platform and 10-meter synchronized diving from 1994 to 2006. He trained with the British team at the Ponds Forge swimming complex in Sheffield.
Inventing a Dive
In 1998, Leon created a new dive called the '5255b'. This dive involved 2.5 somersaults backward and 2.5 twists. At that time, it was considered the most difficult dive in the world!
After Competitive Diving
Leon had planned to compete in the 2008 Summer Olympics. However, he announced his retirement in May 2008 due to several injuries.
New Career Paths
After retiring from diving, Leon started many new projects. He became a public speaker, a presenter, and a commentator for the BBC. He also mentors other athletes, including Olympic medalist Tom Daley.
In 2010, Leon published a book about mentoring called MENTOR - The most important role you were never trained for.
TV and Commentary
In January 2013, Leon became a judge on the ITV celebrity diving show Splash!. He returned to judge the show again in 2014.
Leon was also part of the BBC commentary team for the diving events at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. He also commentated for the 2017 World Aquatics Championships.
Mental Wellness Advocate
In 2018, Leon gave a TEDx talk about how physical movement can help manage long-term mental stress. He has since made a series of videos on this topic. In March 2020, he led exercise routines for the Headspace mobile app, which helps with meditation and mindfulness.
Children's Book
Leon's diving journey inspired a children's story novel called Leon's Magic Mantra. Sarah Griffiths wrote the book in partnership with Leon during the Covid pandemic. The book was released in June 2022.
Personal Life
Leon Taylor has a son named Ziggy with his partner, Allie Hill.
See also
In Spanish: Leon Taylor para niños
